#paulake

Paul doesn’t even know if Flake likes men at all, he’d never kissed any guy, at least Paul had never seen him doing it. While Paul definitely had kissed other men before, it had only been that: a few kisses.

“Oh that’s so great! I’m sure it will be awesome!” Paul says and he hopes he sounds happy for Flake. Because he is happy even though it breaks his own heart. Flake had been crushing on this girl for so long, he deserved it!

“I hope it will be,” Flake says and he sits down at the table. His smile is so cute, that Paul doesn’t pay attention and promptly burns his finger.

Serves him right.

*

Paul is busy cleaning his room in their shared apartment, when someone calls him. He frowns at their old phone. Who the hell would call him now?

“Paulchen…,” Flake mumbles and Paul’s heart stops.

“Are you okay?” Paul asks, before Flake can even say more. At first there is no answer, but he can hear Flake sniffling and Paul stands up straight, letting his cloth fall to the ground. Is he crying?

“Flake?”

“She stood me up.”

Shit. Paul isn’t even sure what to say. He feels guilty for being a bit relieved, he already had nightmares about Flake and his new girlfriend being together all the time and kissing in front of him, but he also feels incredibly sad for his best friend.

Flake deserves a nice date.

“Stay where you are. I’ll be there in a few minutes!” Paul says and he hangs up before Flake can say more. At least he knows where he can find Flake. There are a few phone boots on the Christmas market and he knows where Flake had waited for that stupid girl.

Paul hastily gets dressed and is out of the door in less than ten minutes. Luckily he remembers to wear his thick jacket, a soft hat and even gloves, because it’s freezing as hell outside. 

It takes him at least thirty minutes and he worries the whole time but then finally he walks onto the Christmas Market and looks around. Flake is standing underneath a streetlight and he looks so sad.

“Hey,” Paul says, grinning at him.

“Hey, why did you say I should wait here?” Flake says and suddenly Paul has an idea. He happily blinks up at Flake, trying his best to look totally innocent and holds his hand out. 

“I’m Paul. Your uhm… date,” Paul says finally, the last word almost swallowed because he’s just so damn nervous. He can see how Flake’s eyes widen at that. At least he’s so baffled that he takes Paul’s hand and shakes it slowly.

“Flake.”

“Cool name. So what do you say, should we have a look around? I love Christmas markets,” Paul says, glad that Flake seems to accept it. 

“Anything particular that you wanna do?” Flake asks and Paul shakes his head. He mostly loves the good smelling food and he kinda needs a drink or two for this, but he just wants to make Flake smile again.

“Nope. Alone being here with you is amazing,” Paul says and they slowly start walking. Flake blushes and Paul grins even more. It had just been the truth, but Flake doesn’t need to know that.

They walk towards a few booths and Paul carefully takes Flake’s hand in his own. Flake seems surprised at that, but he doesn’t let go of Paul’s hand either. Flake’s hand is so soft and Paul wishes they could always go shopping or something like this.

Paul had never felt more secure than being around Flake. Each hug, each touch spends him way too much comfort.

“How about some food?” Paul asks and points at the stall Flake is currently watching so intensely. Flake shrugs.

“I was wondering if the food is as good as yours," Flake says slowly and he seems to still think about this. Paul sees how Flake eyes the menu card again and he stands close beside him. Leaning against his shoulder, still searching for so much contact.

“How about we try it then,” Paul says and then already holds up his hand. He orders two burgers and some fries with them and a cocoa for himself. Flake doesn't add anything to drink for himself, so Paul nods his thanks and waits for the food.

Instead he looks around and he can see how full the Christmas market is this year, but then again, the weather is wonderful tonight, it’s even snowing the tiniest bit. 

“Your order,” the guy behind the counter says and Paul nods his thanks. He pulls out his money to pay for everything and doesn't even wait for Flake to pay for his stuff. It’s a date and he’d like to treat Flake right.

“Would you get us some napkins?” Paul asks and points toward the other end of the stall, because he knows that he is a messy eater, thanks. Flake nods and Paul searches for a free table for them. There is only one tiny bar table left in the corner, but Paul shrugs and goes over to it.

Flake comes back and puts the napkins down.

“Thank you,” Flake smiles at the food and without another word, he already bites into his burger. Paul has to laugh at that eagerness, but then his belly rumbles quietly and he starts with his fries.

“And, what do you think?” Paul asks between bites and Flake smiles so widely, that Paul wants to kiss him. Right here and right now.

“Good, but I love your food more,” Flake says and points at his burger again. He even licks his lips and Paul just stands there like an idiot and focuses on those pink lips. What would he give to feel them against his mouth?

Just once.

He’s not even mad that Flake is breaking their… roleplay of a date. It’s just fun to be here with him.

“You are right, they are good,” Paul says instead, after he takes a bite out of his own burger. He moans around the next bite and he blushes, when Flake tilts his head to one side again.

Oops.

They eat their food in silence and Paul takes a straw for his cocoa from the napkin tower Flake bought over. Paul wouldn't even remember needing a straw, but seems like Flake was focused like that.

“So uh… do you have fun? I mean here with me,” Paul says then and Flake nods. He’s smiling again, Paul coins that as a win while he puts his mug down on the table and leans on it, so he can still drink from the straw.

“I’m glad that you came,” Flake says and then he takes another straw that Paul hadn’t even seen and puts it into Paul's mug as well. Paul's eyes nearly fall out of his head.

Flake just continues to smile at Paul, while he drinks from the same freaking cocoa as he is and Paul gasps. Of course he was just trying to swallow the cocoa and he ends up coughing very hard. Flake squints at him.

“W-wrong pipe,” Paul manages and he coughs again, just to be sure. Flake nods and takes another sip of the cocoa again. Paul waits till he is done before he does the same. Oh god, they are actually sharing cocoa.

“This was very wonderful,” Flake says, when the food is gone and even the shared mug is empty. Paul's face is still on fire and he saw a few glares that they got, but he actually feels pretty happy, too.

Flake makes him happy.

“I think we should get a dessert though. A real one,” Paul says and he points at another stall, where they sell all kinds of sweets. Flake nods and they slowly walk over to the stall. Paul really likes roasted almonds, but he’s looking at something else. 

“Do you want anything?” Paul asks and Flake shakes his head. He doesn’t really care for all the sweets, but Paul has another idea. 

He ends up buying a package of roasted almonds for later, but he also points at one of the gingerbread hearts. Flake seems confused but doesn’t say anything. 

“Here for you,” Paul mumbles and he shyly holds the heart out to Flake who seems so surprised. 

He hadn’t dared to go for one with “I love you” written on it. Instead  “You’re cute” is written on it in blue frosting. It looks pretty good and Paul carefully puts it around Flake’s neck, when he bends down a bit.

“Danke,” Flake mumbles, his cheeks so read. Paul can’t look away. Paul even dares to lean closer and press a soft kiss to Flake’s cheek. Flake touches the skin where Paul had kissed him.

“Now we need something real to drink. Mulled wine for example,” Paul says and he carefully holds Flake’s hand again. He really likes the handholding and he wouldn’t stop anytime soon.

An hour later they’re both almost frozen but quite happy.

“That was a great date,” Flake laughs when they’re full of more food and drinks. Paul smirks at him.

“I’m glad you liked it. I think that was it though,” Paul shrugs. They had basically done anything you could do at a Christmas market.

“Really nothing else?” Flake asks and he winks so stupidly at Paul, who laughs and then there’s an idea suddenly.

“What about a first kiss?” Paul asks then and he hates himself already. Maybe he shouldn’t have drunk that mullen wine, because he’s always too chatty when he’s drunk.

“What do you mean?” Flake asks, frowning.

“I mean it’s a first date. You don’t have to kiss someone on a first date, but you absolutely can,” Paul explains, but his heartbeat picks up again. He’s pretty nervous but he wants for Flake to kiss him so badly.

“Oh I don’t know. I mean… you’re not really…,” Flake stutters out. So he’s uncomfortable.

“Please? Pretend, I’m her,” Paul says and he’s tearing up against his will. He just wants to be kissed once by Flake. Hadn’t he deserved that? Just one kiss so he could fall asleep thinking about that every day? 

Flake’s face is so red again. Paul hopes he’s not angry. 

“I m-mean, you don’t have to,” Paul whispers, his heart breaking even more. He feels like there’s nothing left at this point. He just hopes they could still be friends. He wouldn’t know what to do without Flake. 

Flake is still not saying anything and Paul looks down. The first tear drops down into the snow and he turns around. Maybe he could ask Richard and Till if he could sleep there tonight. Flake surely doesn’t want to see him again.

Paul surely had broken the best thing he’d ever had in his life. 

Flake holds him at his elbow and Paul slowly turns back to him again. He’s ashamed of his tears, but he also can’t help it. This is his first heartbreak. Flake doesn’t look angry, he looks confused. A bit frustrated maybe.

“What if… what if I don’t want to pretend that you’re her?” Flake asks then and Paul sniffles.

“It’s okay. I understand, I’m sorry that I made it weird,” Paul answers, but Flake is already shaking his head. This time it’s Paul who frowns, especially when Flake is smiling so cutely at him again.

“No you don’t get it. I want to kiss you. I wanted that for years,” Flake says and Paul gasps. For two seconds he’s sure that Flake is just lying because he’d seen how sad Paul had been, but Flake would never do that.

“Really?” Paul whispers, his voice barely able to speak words. 

“Yeah. I’m pretty much in love with you,” Flake says and he carefully wipes Paul’s tears away. Paul leans into the touch and slowly he starts to smile again. The damn gingerbread heart is still around Flake’s neck. He looks so cute.

“I’m in love with you too,” Paul answers and he can’t help but giggle. He’s glad that no one is really paying them attention, but he blushes anyway. Damn.

Normally Paul is known for being a feisty little shit, but right now he just feels like he’s sixteen again and scared of his first kiss. Since when is he so shy?

“So about the kiss…,” Flake says, but he seems nervous too. Paul smiles.

“Please kiss me,” Paul whispers and then Flake finally does. Paul gasps against his lips. Flake is still tasting like the sweets they had tried and Paul puts his arms around Flake’s neck, pulling him closer.

Flake has to bend down a bit to kiss him, so Paul gets up to his tip toes and then Flake tilts his head a bit and pushes his tongue into his mouth. Paul is sure that he just died and went to heaven.

They do have to breathe though and Flake breaks the kiss. His lips are all red. 

“A-and did you like your date?” Paul asks, he’s surely blushing pretty badly himself. Flake takes his hand back into his own again.

“Yeah. It was the best first date ever and I hope I’ll get a second one,” Flake says grinning so widely, that Paul has to laugh as well.

“Of course you get a second one. Lots of dates. All the dates you wish for,” Paul babbles and Flake kisses him quiet again.